Easy Allergy-Friendly Reindeer Rice Krispies: A Gluten-Free & Vegan No-Bake Christmas Treat

Discover an effortlessly delightful, no-bake holiday treat perfect for bringing festive cheer to your home! These quick-to-assemble Reindeer Rice Krispies are designed to be a fun food craft activity for kids, or a thoughtful, homemade gift for neighbors and friends this Christmas season. What makes them truly special is their incredible allergy-friendly profile: they are completely free of wheat, gluten, dairy, egg, peanuts, and tree nuts, making them a safe and inclusive option for many. Plus, we’ve included easy modifications for a delicious vegan version!

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The holiday season is a magical time of year, filled with joy, twinkling lights, and the delicious aroma of festive goodies baking in the oven. But let’s be honest, alongside all the wonderful traditions, there’s often a flurry of activity that can leave even the most enthusiastic holiday celebrator feeling a bit overwhelmed. If you find yourself nodding along, eagerly wanting to create special treats but feeling short on time or energy, then you’re in the right place! We all crave something festive, incredibly easy, undeniably yummy, and – crucially – no-bake to share with loved ones during this busy period. That’s exactly why I’m thrilled to share my latest and greatest creation with you!

If the thought of simple, delicious, and inclusive holiday treats resonates with you, then you are absolutely going to adore these adorable Reindeer Rice Krispies. They embody everything you need for stress-free holiday gifting and family fun.

For those who follow my culinary adventures, you’ll know I’m an enormous enthusiast of Rice Krispies treats! My kitchen has seen many “krispy” escapades, from spooky Frankensteins to sweet Valentine hearts, and even innovative Inside Out Scotcheroos and comforting Snickerdoodle Krispies. I truly believe that making Rice Krispies treats is like playing with adult-friendly edible dough! It offers a fantastic opportunity to unleash creativity, experiment with fun shapes, and play with vibrant colors, all while knowing the end result will be utterly delicious. This makes them one of my absolute favorite go-to recipes when I need a sweet fix but don’t want the hassle of traditional baking. We whip them up constantly, especially when the craving for something delightful hits without the desire to turn on the oven.

One of the many appealing aspects of this particular Reindeer Rice Krispies recipe is its scaled-down batch size. Unlike many recipes that yield a large quantity, this one has been thoughtfully halved from an original recipe, making it perfectly suited for a standard glass pie plate. This means it creates exactly eight adorable reindeer, which is ideal for a small batch – perhaps for a cozy family activity, or when you find yourself with only half a bag of marshmallows left (a common occurrence in my household, thanks to my sneaky kiddos!).

This smaller yield also makes it incredibly convenient for gifting. If you’re looking to spread some holiday cheer to a single family or a special neighbor, these eight reindeer treats make just the right amount for a thoughtful and much-appreciated gift, ensuring one lucky recipient gets to enjoy this allergy-friendly delight!

Beyond being a delicious treat, these Reindeer Rice Krispies are a fantastic opportunity for a fun food craft experience, especially for children. I’ve seen firsthand how much my own children love to get involved; they eagerly help with pouring in the cereal and the gooey marshmallows, and their favorite part is always the decorating! Imagine the joy and excitement of little ones as they transform simple squares into charming reindeer faces. This recipe is also an excellent choice for school parties, holiday gatherings, or any event where you want to ensure everyone feels included, regardless of their dietary needs. Whether someone manages food allergies or lives with celiac disease, these treats guarantee that no one is left out of the festive fun. After all, the true spirit of Christmas and the holidays is about embracing togetherness, thinking of others, and making sure everyone can participate in the joy and sweetness of the season.

Allergy-Friendly Decorations: Essential Details for Safe & Festive Treats

Crafting allergy-friendly treats means paying close attention to every ingredient, including the fun decorative elements. Here’s a breakdown of the specific considerations and recommendations for making your Reindeer Rice Krispies safe and delightful for everyone:

Eyeballs: This is often the most asked-about ingredient when it comes to decorating! Many edible candy eyes contain gelatin, which may not be suitable for all dietary preferences. For our family, since my son is allergic to dairy and eggs but can consume gelatin, we’ve successfully used both the Betty Crocker brand and the Wilton brand candy eyes. If you’re looking for a completely vegan option, I highly recommend checking out this fantastic homemade recipe. Alternatively, if edible eyes are a concern, you could always use small plastic googly eyes for decoration and simply instruct people not to eat them – the choice is yours! Remember, if you’re aiming for a fully vegan treat, ensure your marshmallows are also vegan-appropriate, such as Dandies.
Cereal: It’s crucial to be aware that most regular and generic brands of crispy rice cereal contain barley, which means while they might be wheat-free, they are NOT gluten-free. For truly gluten-free crispy cereal, I’ve found that Malt-O-Meal and Erewhon offer excellent and safe substitutions that maintain the classic texture and taste. Always double-check labels, even for ‘rice’ cereals, to confirm they are certified gluten-free.
Antlers: Finding soy-free pretzels can be quite challenging, which is why these Reindeer Rice Krispies, while free of many common allergens, are not strictly considered top-8-free if soy is a concern. However, if soy is not an allergy for you or your guests, we’ve had great success with two particular pretzel brands: Snyder’s Gluten-free Pretzels and Glutino’s Pretzels. These provide the perfect crunch and shape for our reindeer antlers.
Nose: Traditionally, a chocolate candy is used for the reindeer’s nose, but finding allergy-friendly chocolate that is also safe for multiple allergens can be difficult. To keep things simple and safe, we opted for an upside-down Skittle, ensuring the “S” on the front doesn’t show for a perfect red nose. This offers a vibrant and readily available option. You can also get creative and substitute it with cinnamon candies, or any other safe red candy that fits your specific dietary requirements and adds that iconic Rudolph touch.
Glue: To adhere all the charming decorations – the eyes, nose, and antlers – we used a small dab of honey. Honey is a fantastic choice because it’s clear and holds everything securely in place without adding unwanted flavors or colors. If you prefer an alternative, you can certainly use a dab of allergy-friendly frosting (and hey, why not make a batch of sugar cookie bars to use up the rest of the frosting?!). For a vegan-friendly “glue,” maple syrup or agave nectar work beautifully as substitutes for honey.
Marshmallows: The base of any great Rice Krispies treat! If you’re unsure which brands of marshmallows are suitable for gluten-free and dairy-free diets, don’t worry – I’ve got you covered. Be sure to consult my comprehensive guide: “What’s in the biggest brands of marshmallows?” This article not only lists safe options but also includes a helpful comparison chart to make your selection process a breeze, ensuring your treats are safe and delicious from the very start.

To truly appreciate how simple and enjoyable it is to create these Allergy-friendly Reindeer Rice Krispies, take a moment to watch this fun and informative video tutorial:

Allergy-friendly Reindeer Rice Krispies

Yield:
8 reindeer

Prep Time:
15 minutes

Cook Time:
10 minutes

Total Time:
25 minutes

An easy, no-bake holiday treat. Quick-to-assemble reindeers are sure to be a fun food craft to make with kids or give away as treats to neighbors this Christmas. These Allergy-friendly Reindeer Rice Krispies are free of: wheat, gluten, dairy, egg, peanut & tree nuts. They have a vegan option too.

Ingredients

1 and 1/2 Tablespoons coconut oil
3 cups of gluten-free crispy cereal (see post for details)
1/2 package of marshmallows (use Vegan if needed)
Red skittles
Gluten-free pretzels (see post for details)
Candy eye balls (see post for details)
Honey or agave

Instructions

In a pot over medium low heat, add your coconut oil and melt. Next, stir in your marshmallows until they’re melted.
Add in your cereal and stir until it’s completely incorporated.
Pour into a greased, round, pie plate and flatted evenly with your hand.
Allow it to cool.
Cut into eight even triangles.
Place dollops of honey where you want the eyes, nose and antlers to be. Place the corresponding candy on the dots of honey.
Keep covered room temperature.

Notes

*Note: if you use coconut oil, if it gets cold it will toughen up. So, if you don’t want tough krispies, be sure to keep these at room temperature.

If you have a coconut allergy just use Spectrum shortening.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8
Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 107Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 98mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 1gSugar: 10gProtein: 2g

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Beyond these adorable reindeer, the world of allergy-friendly holiday treats is vast and exciting! If you’re searching for more festive, inclusive delights to brighten your holiday season, here are some of my other cherished recipes that are sure to be a hit with everyone:

Festive Christmas Rice Krispy Roll (Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free)

Magical Allergy-Friendly Rice Krispy Christmas Trees

Christmas Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies (GF, Vegan, Peanut & Tree Nut Free)

Homemade Dairy-Free Peppermint Patties (Gluten, Dairy, Egg, Soy, Peanut & Tree Nut Free; Top-8-Free; Vegan)

Refreshing Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Peppermint Pie